Sensory processing sensitivity as a predictor of proactive work behavior and a moderator of the job complexity–proactive work behavior relationship

This study investigates the role of sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) as a predictor of employees’ proactive work behavior. SPS is a multidimensional concept that depicts differences in people’s sensory awareness, processing, and reactivity to internal and external influences. Based on research on SPS as grounded in a heightened sensitivity of the behavioral inhibition and activation systems, it was argued that the relationships with task proactivity and personal initiative as indicators of proactive work behavior differ for the three SPS dimensions. Furthermore, based on the person–environment fit perspective, SPS was assumed to moderate the relationship between employees’ job complexity and proactivity. The hypotheses were tested in two two-wave studies (N = 215 and N = 126). Across both studies, ease of excitation (EOE; i.e., the tendency to be easily overwhelmed by changes) was unrelated to proactivity. Low sensory threshold (LST; i.e., unpleasant arousal from external stimuli) was negatively related to personal initiative, only in Study 2, but it did not predict task proactivity. Meanwhile, aesthetic sensitivity (i.e., AES; awareness of and openness to positive stimuli) was positively related to proactivity, but in Study 2, this relationship could only be established for personal initiative. Moreover, job complexity was positively related to proactivity for those employees high but not for those low in AES. EOE and LST did not act as moderators. This study offers evidence of positive behavioral implications among highly sensitive persons when dealing with job complexity. Overall, the study presents an interesting point of departure for the role of SPS in employee proactivity that calls for more research

Work Characteristics and Occupational Well-Being: The Role of Age

Based on a lifespan perspective on work design, person-environment interaction and fit theories, models of successful aging at work, and role theory, we review research on the role of worker age in relationships between work characteristics and occupational well-being. We first focus on interaction effects of work characteristics and age on occupational well-being. Research has found that age can moderate associations between work characteristics and occupational well-being indicators, and that work characteristics can moderate associations between age and occupational well-being indicators. Next, we describe research showing that work characteristics can mediate associations between age and occupational well-being indicators. The relationships of age with specific work characteristics and occupational well-being indicators can be linear or non-linear. We conclude our literature review by discussing implications for future research

Beliefs about the malleability of professional skills and abilities:Development and validation of a scale

The concept of a professional skills and abilities mindset denotes beliefs that professional skills and abilities are either malleable (growth mindset) or are uncontrollable and difficult to change (fixed mindset). Based on the career construction theory, we argue that employees’ professional skills and abilities mindset represents an indicator of adaptive readiness that predicts career adaptability and adaptive responses in terms of learning and career engagement. Across four studies (total N = 709), we developed the 6-item professional skills and abilities mindset scale. Study 1 establishes a two-factor structure, satisfactory psychometric properties, and convergent validity. Studies 2 and 3 provide evidence of the criterion validity of the growth but not the fixed mindset subscale for career engagement and learning through career adaptability. Study 4 establishes moderate retest reliability across four weeks. This research establishes a previously neglected predictor of career-related resources and behaviors. Findings can inform vocational consulting and coaching

Animal roles in organizations: A framework for exploring organizational human–animal relations

Despite the growing body of research on human–animal studies in various disciplines, attempts to systematically include animals in organization studies have been limited. In this article, we build on organizational role theory and propose a typology of five roles of animals in human organizations (i.e., animals as commodities, clients, co-workers, companions, and acquaintances) as a framework for analyzing organizational human–animal relations. The identified roles emerge as distinct categories that illuminate the varying degrees of agency afforded to animals in certain organizational settings and the extent to which human work is focused on animals. Lastly, we outline how advancing scholarly perspectives on animals in organizations requires going beyond anthropocentric and anthropomorphic perspectives and suggest various avenues for future research

Students' career exploration:A meta-analysis

Career exploration refers to the exploration of the environment and the self with the aim of gathering career-related information. On the basis of Lent and Brown's (2013) model of career self-management (CSM), the current meta-analysis examined the antecedents and outcomes of career exploration among college students (K = 109, N = 34,969 students). We found support for the applicability of the CSM model to the context of students' career exploration. Specifically, positive associations were found for the association of the three core person-cognitive variables self-efficacy for career exploration and decision-making (rc = 0.52), outcome expectations (rc = 0.31), and career-exploratory goals (rc = 0.42) with career exploration. Results of path analyses suggest that the effects of both self-efficacy and outcome expectations on career exploration are mediated by career-exploratory goals. Further, in line with the CSM model, career exploration was positively related to career-related support (rc = 0.33) and negatively related to barriers (rc = −0.15). Moreover, career exploration was associated with important career-related outcomes, such as career decidedness (rc = 0.22), and perceived employability (rc = 0.35). Exploratory moderator analyses revealed that some relationships are influenced by sample (i.e., age, gender, cultural background) and measurement (e.g., publication date) characteristics. The findings of this meta-analysis highlight several implications for the further development of the CSM model, future research on students' career exploration, and career development practice

Understanding the initiative paradox:the interplay of leader neuroticism and follower traits in evaluating the desirability of follower proactivity

This study investigates the relationship between leaders’ neuroticism and their evaluation of the desirability of followers’ proactive behaviour. We argue that leaders high in neuroticism are likely to evaluate follower proactivity as less desirable and that this relationship is amplified when followers are low in conscientiousness and agreeableness. Based on trait activation theory, we further propose that worry and threat act as underlying mechanisms of the interaction between these traits. We hypothesize that leaders high in neuroticism feel more threatened by the proactive behaviours shown by followers’ low in conscientiousness and agreeableness and rate the proactive behaviours of these followers as less desirable. In a field study with 205 leader–follower dyads (Study 1), we found the expected interaction effect. Leaders’ neuroticism interacted with their followers’ conscientiousness and agreeableness to predict their evaluation of the desirability of followers’ proactive behaviour. Study 2, an experimental vignette study, suggests a moderated indirect effect through the experience of threat, but not worry. We found no direct effects of leader neuroticism on the desirability ratings of followers’ proactive behaviour. This research emphasizes the value of investigating the interplay between leader and follower traits and the underlying cognitive-emotional processes for leader evaluations of followers’ proactivity

Editorial: Zusammenarbeit in der Hochschule - Lernräume, Bauten und Campusplanung

2012 |  Gerhard Schmitt & Antje Kunze (Zürich)